


fading star

by Wikluk



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Feels, Character Death, Dark Obi-Wan Kenobi, F/M, Satine Kryze Has Issues, Sith Obi-Wan Kenobi, author hates angst and writes angst, i think, it's kind of disturbing?, it's perfectly normal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:07:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28926276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wikluk/pseuds/Wikluk
Summary: Satine knows where Obi-Wan is going before she hears rumours of his next appearance in the Galaxy.She is proved in her thinking when she hears what one of her ministers says to his associate sitting beside.Did you hear that Kenobi showed up on Lantillies? They say that from the amount of corpse he left behind, his blue sword has started tobleed–
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala & Satine Kryze
Comments: 12
Kudos: 65





	fading star

**Author's Note:**

> It is a one-shot spelt out on the spur of the moment and because of a friend of mine who wanted something like lovers-to-enemies. It's not exactly what she asked for because I couldn't write it that way, but... close enough!
> 
> (The author apologizes for any weaknesses in the plot or characteristics of the characters. At the same time, she informs that the desire to write something was too great and she does not intend to apologize for her wild inspiration.)
> 
> Happy (uh, or maybe... enjoyable? uh...) reading, sweethearts ♥!

Mandalore is asleep when news comes straight from the heart of the Galaxy.

Duchess Satine Kryze just gets up from her desk in her apartment, after an evening of reading reports, an empty glass after Alderaanian wine in her hand, as she hears the excited voices of the two presenters shouting over each other from the holoradio.

_"It's over! The end of the war!"_

The glass falls out of her hand, and if it weren't for the fluffy carpet covering the floor in her living room, the flecks of sharp glass would surely stick into her skin, covering it in tiny scarlet droplets.

Satine turns and freezes.

She fears that even her soft breathing might drown out the news, so she strains her hearing with full concentration.

_“General Grievous was killed in battle by General of the Grand Army of the Republic, Obi-Wan Kenobi…”_

_“Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker captured Count Dooku. The Separatist commander will be brought to trial...”_

_“The separatists are withdrawing their troops from most of the occupied planets. The Droid Army…”_

_“Chancellor Palpatine is dead.”_

Satine walks slowly towards the holoradio. She doesn't believe what she hears. The presenter says that the fate of this war was in the hands of the Chancellor, that it was his creation, the goal of his actions on the way to the rise of the Empire. 

Count Dooku worked for him. General Grievous worked for him.

Each bloodshed was the result of one man's hunger for power.

Satine clenches her fists as anger builds up in her heart. How one man could lead the entire galaxy by the nose, like–

_“–several Jedi Masters have died in the Chancellor's arrest–”_

Her heart begins to beat faster. She hears the blood rushing in her ears.

_“–General Anakin Skywalker is badly injured. He is said to have lost a leg, and he has a lightsaber wound through his arm–”_

Satine leans over the device and holds her breath.

_“Anakin Skywalker's former teacher and former General of Grand Army of the Republic, Obi-Wan Kenobi, participated in the skirmish. Kenobi has not been seen since entering the Senate with a group of other Jedi. We don't know what happened in the Chancellor's office. The Order's spokesman is reluctant to give us accurate information. We do know, however, that the Jedi Order issued a wanted notice for the former General–”_

_Wanted notice?_

For a moment, Satine feels as if her heart has stopped. She cannot catch her breath for a few seconds, and when she does, she immediately exhales through her nose. She feels her lips tremble slightly.

Wanted notice? What could Obi-Wan have done to cause the Order to issue a wanted notice for him? Satine pushes herself off the table as the presenter changes the subject to arrested Count Dooku.

She turns to the window and walks to the glass surface. 

The starry sky and the distant shape of Concordia are perfectly visible through the dome surrounding Sundari.

Satine looks to where the Brightest Star in the Mandalorian sky is always shining.

The glow of the Star is fading.

Tears gather in Satine's eyes.

**x x x x x**

Another day passes before Satine decides to contact someone from Coruscant. She thinks, for a moment, about calling General Skywalker, but suddenly remembers that yesterday the radio host swore that the Jedi was in serious condition. Satine doesn't even know if he is alive.

So she goes over to the holoprojector and, after a brief moment's hesitation, dials Padme Amidala's number. 

The brunette answers after a dozen or so long seconds. Even in the pale blue image the transmission guarantees, Satine can see the fatigue in the woman’s young face.

When Padmé notices her, she smiles slightly, though after a while the gesture turns into a grimace. “Satine…”

“Hello, Padmé.” the blonde replies, absorbing the sight of her friend. “I'm calling in the wrong time, right?”

“Honestly? Yes,” Padmé sighs, folding her hands together. “On the other hand, in the near future, any contact may be in the wrong time,” she admits, glancing briefly to the side. ‘You're calling to ask about Obi-Wan, aren't you?”

Satine is silent and it is a sufficient answer for Padmé. 

The brunette looks straight ahead, but her gaze is blank, hard to read. “I have no idea where he might be. I also have no idea what exactly happened.” she shakes her head, staring at the floor. “I spoke to Master Windu this morning. He didn't want to share information. He was just saying casually that Obi-Wan was dangerous. That they had to catch him before he did something terrible. I–”

Satine looks at the brunette with a furrowed brow. She tries hard to understand what she’s hearing. Obi-Wan? Dangerous? Obi-Wan she knows is not dangerous. He would never hurt anyone. He’d never–

“–I personally don't believe it.” Padmé expresses her thoughts accurately. “I've known Obi-Wan since I was fourteen.” she waves her hand as if to prove her point. “He fights well. He commanded an army. But... the Dark Side?” 

“Dark Side?” Satine repeats, paling slightly. “That's what Master Windu said?”

Padmé nods slightly. “It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?” she is looking right at her now. “I really don't know anything else, Satine. But if I find out anything, I'll let you know immediately.” she looks to the side again. “Now I'm sorry, I have to go and–”

Satine smiles. “Give General Skywalker my wishes for a fast recovery.” 

Padmé also smiles a little, though it doesn’t reach her eyes, and shakes her head. “He’ll be fine,” she speaks in a low voice, and Satine's attention is drawn to a slight gesture; the delicacy with which Padmé touches her belly with an elusive, thoughtless movement. For most people, that would be a simple wave of the hand, but not for Satine. Padmé notices her gaze and gives her a small smile. “We’ll be fine,” she adds, lowering both arms along her body. “Goodbye, Satine.”

“Until next time, Padmé.”

The senator hangs up first.

Satine stands still for a moment, staring at the holoprojector.

In the silence of her room, the words of her friend hit her with redoubled force.

Obi-Wan. Dark Side. 

Satine looks at the window.

The Brightest Star seems to be even paler than the previous evening.

**x x x x x**

When Satine hears about Obi-Wan, this is not a message from Padmé.

It is not a message from him either.

Or from the Jedi Order.

No. When she hears someone mentioning his name again, it is just a piece of uncertain information whispered to one another by her guards.

_He was seen on Onderon two days ago_ , they say. _Supposedly he murdered everyone in the Separatist base._

**x x x x x**

Satine knows where Obi-Wan is going before she hears rumours of his next appearance in the Galaxy.

She is proved in her thinking when she hears what one of her ministers says to his associate sitting beside. 

_Did you hear that Kenobi showed up on Lantillies? They say that from the amount of corpse he left behind, his blue sword has started to_ bleed– 

Satine turns her head towards the great window of the Throne Room and looks at the sky. “What are you doing?” she whispers, barely opening her mouth.

The sun is slowly setting, and the Brightest Star is still not visible in the sky. 

**x x x x x**

Padmé Amidala contacts Satine a few days later.

“You won’t like what I have to say.” Padmé begins quietly and the tone of her voice makes Satine feel fear. “They were right. He…” she raises her head and looks at her friend with an expression that might be considered mourning. “I'm so sorry Satine.”

And without another word, she shares the recording.

Satine watches it closely.

And with every second she feels her heartbreaking into smaller and smaller pieces, one by one.

A few minutes pass and the recording starts all over again.

Satine hangs up without a word.

Today she will mourn the dead. The dead who is still alive.

**x x x x x**

Satine is not Force-sensitive. She has never had any Jedi skills or their keen senses, yet she knows perfectly well that he is here, even if she hasn't seen him yet, hasn't heard him yet.

Obi-Wan stands at her bedroom balcony door in the middle of the night, midweek.

Satine turns to face him. “I knew you were coming here,” she says in a low, calm voice.

“My dear…” she hears his whisper, but while it is undoubtedly his voice, it doesn’t sound like Obi-Wan. “Dearest Satine…”

He approaches her slowly, with unchanging grace, and takes the hood off his head.

Satine looks into his eyes. Eyes that turned from a beautiful grey-blue to a hideous, poisonous yellow. Even though her heart squeezes painfully from looking at them, she can't take her eyes off them.

Obi-Wan smiles. The gesture is cool. Strange, even if his mouth forms the same shape as always. He raises his hand and touches her cheek.

And while his touch is gentle, Satine has the feeling that there is something possessive about him. Something dominant.

“I'm free.” he purrs softly, stroking her cheekbones with his fingers. “And I am yours tonight.”

Satine takes a slightly shuddering breath at his intense gaze, and though his eyes are cool, warmth spreads all over her body.

She does not protest when Obi-Wan touches her other cheek.

She does not protest as he leans down and kisses her on the lips.

She does not protest when his hands go lower and wrap around her tiny waist.

And she does not protest when they both collapse on her enormous bed a few minutes later. 

And only after a few hours, held by the waist with a strong, almost unyielding hand, feeling his breath on her neck, she looks at the sky.

The Brightest Star was always visible from her bedroom window.

Now it does not stand out from the hundreds of other stars twinkling around it.

Satine is trembling slightly. Obi-Wan doesn't wake up, but as if instinctively he moves her closer.

Normally, the chills would subside from the warmth of his body.

Normally, she would be happy to have him with her. 

Normally, she would already be sleeping in his arms and dreaming about the most pleasant things, like all the nights they slept in each other arms.

But normal people don't murder in cold blood. And normal people don't share a bed with cold-blooded murderers.

**x x x x x**

Obi-Wan's gone when Satine wakes up the next morning. 

A few days pass, then two weeks. 

Obi-Wan makes no contact with her, though she can hear bits of rumours that he has been seen here and there, always with his _bleeding_ lightsaber, always alone, always leaving death behind.

One evening, as Satine returns to her apartment after a long day spent mostly sitting in her office, a visitor is waiting for her in her living room.

Obi-Wan is sitting on her couch in a pose very much like meditation.

Satine hopes for a moment that everything is back to normal. Obi-Wan meditates, it must mean something good, but when she comes closer, feeling hope ruffling her heart–

–Obi-Wan opens his eyes with a smile. The golden-amber irises slowly die away, giving way to growing pupils as he stares at her as if she were the most delicious morsel. This reaction almost makes Satine forget the colour of his eyes.

Almost, because even if she doesn't see them, she feels something strange as Obi-Wan reaches out to her and grabs her hand.

Once upon a time, she would have felt butterflies in her stomach.

Now it feels more like someone is sticking a dagger in her stomach and twisting it very slowly.

But she smiles. She doesn't know why she's smiling, but something sparkles in Obi-Wan's eyes at the gesture.

He pulls her towards him and places her on his lap. “I missed you.” he talks in her ear, stroking her thigh with his free hand. “You are so beautiful…”

Satine looks at him and even if staring into his golden eyes breaks her heart, she says nothing as Obi-Wan puts his lips to her neck.

Instead, she rests one hand on his shoulder and squeezes it lightly with her fingers, as always when Obi-Wan kissed the sensitive skin just below her jaw.

Once again she tells herself the obvious lie that nothing has changed. 

Over his shoulder, she sees the evening sky with a paler and paler Star.

She sighs and feels Obi-Wan's smile on her throat. For a moment she wonders if Obi-Wan is a predator who will sink his teeth into her trachea.

**x x x x x**

His visits are more frequent. 

He always comes to her in the evening. They spend the night together. They sleep later. Or rather, Obi-Wan sleeps while Satine watches the sky.

The Brightest Star is dying.

Satine realizes what has long been obvious. 

And Satine feels that her heart is dying with the Star.

**x x x x x**

When Master Mace Windu calls her a few days later, Satine keeps a straight face throughout the conversation.

“Duchess,” says Windu, looking her straight in the eye. Satine doesn't see the warmth in his eyes as she had felt in Obi-Wan's gaze, yet she doesn't feel chilled out, like in Obi-Wan's embrace every night. “If Kenobi makes any contact with you–”

“–if he wanted to contact me, he would have done so long ago, Master Jedi,” Satine responds coldly, and the lie comes smoothly out of her mouth. “I don't know where Master Kenobi might be–”

“–he is no longer a Master.” Windu mumbles.

Satine ignores him. “–and I don't see why would he contact me,” she adds, raising her eyebrows slightly. Windu looks like he's about to say something, but Satine tilts her head slightly. “Good night, Master Windu.”

She hangs up.

She hears someone chuckling behind her. It’s an empty, cool sound. Familiar and at the same time completely strange.

“His expression was priceless,” says Obi-Wan and walks slowly towards her. He wraps his arms around her waist and rests his chin on her shoulder. “You are wonderful.” he purrs in her ear and Satine shivers. Not with pleasure, as she had noticed a few nights earlier. Even so, she still deludes himself. “So wonderful.” his thumbs dig slightly above her pelvis. Only now does Satine realize that she will be left with bruises. That Obi-Wan was not as delicate as he used to be, which she had already seen in the mirror and simply ignored.

She has no idea how it didn't hurt her.

Obi-Wan realizes something is wrong. He puts his arms around her tighter. “Something happened?” he asks, bringing his lips closer to her ear.

Satine feels like he may be concerned, but as she turns his head slightly and makes eye contact with him, his face looks the same as it has always been for several weeks. There is coldness. Maybe indifference. And that spark of possessiveness in the amber irises.

“Nothing to worry about,” Satine answers him softly and turns slowly. She doesn't meet his eyes. She can't look into his eyes for long without feeling sadness. Instead, she turns her gaze to his lips and immediately notices that they are not pink, but pale, almost bluish. 

She touches his cheek with her hand. His beard is oddly rough. Sharper than before. 

His skin is cooler. It was not a figment of her imagination. It is also paler. There is something strange about it, something that sharpens his cheeks, giving him an almost aristocratic appearance.

But there is nothing noble about his features.

Satine swallows and forces a little smile. In the end, all the elements are coming together.

This is not the man she has loved for almost two decades. This is not her _Ben_ who would give his life to protect her. Now, to do this, he would take the lives of others. Once. Twice. Three times. He would murder crowds of creatures if he had to. Satine can see it in his eyes. She sees it in his body language. In his possessiveness. In his need of constant contact when they are together.

Obi-Wan knows he's safe with her.

And that's what worries Satine the most. She thinks her heart should break right now, but it’s not possible to break something that has crumbled to dust.

“Come with me,” she says instead and without looking into his eyes she squeezes his arm.

Obi-Wan knows what that means.

He lifts her hand and presses his cool blue lips to the back of her pale hand. Then he kisses her palms, fingers, wrists, and Satine shivers.

Obi-Wan smiles.

Satine holds back tears when she cannot distinguish the Brightest Star from other celestial bodies in the sky.

**x x x x x**

Obi-Wan disappears again for a few days. Satine is not relieved at his absence. Nor does she feel longing.

She feels like an empty shell that once housed a pearl. Now, however, this pearl is no more. Gone with the person who opened the shell.

She cannot sleep at night. She only thinks about the past. Sometimes she comes back to the present, but it hurts her to think about it, so she drowns in memories again.

She remembers his warm gaze. His touch, which made her whole body tremble positively, and blushes to flood her pale cheeks. His voice, which could touch her heart even when it was melted in sadness or inflamed by anger.

This won't happen anymore, because this person is no more.

Obi-Wan died and so did her heart.

Satine rests her forehead against the window. She’s tired. All the time. It’s a result of the lack of adequate sleep. Or of living in the past. Or of the whirlwind of work, she threw herself into.

But something deep down in her soul makes her anxious.

The evening is exceptionally quiet, the sky seems less bright. Somewhere in the distance, she sees a few shooting stars.

_Buir_ once told her that shooting stars are tears of the Galaxy. 

The Brightest Star is almost invisible. Satine had to look at the shoal of stars for a long time to spot the most important one.

She bows her head as silent tears run down her cheeks.

**x x x x x**

Obi-Wan appears three days later and stands at her bedroom door, against the evening sky.

Satine looks at him closely but feels nothing. Once she would have thrown herself into his arms.

Once. Once... 

Once–

“My dearest…” Obi-Wan's voice is low, almost purring. Satine thinks for a split second she hears the nervousness in his voice. After a while, however, she pushes the thought away. She can never see anything in his eyes except coldness and lust. “Marry me.”

His proposal comes quite unexpectedly. Satine freezes, staring at him with wide eyes. If she still had a heart, it would probably start beating faster.

Her lack of reaction makes Obi-Wan impatient. He takes a few steps towards her. “Marry me,” he repeats a little sharply. “I will give you everything.” And Satine is horrified to state that there is no lie in his words, that he would really give her anything. “We will be together forever. Connected. You and me.” He reaches out to her, but he doesn't place his hand on her waist as Satine expects, but almost tenderly touches her flat belly with his palm. “And our baby.”

His words only confirm what Satine had suspected for several days. Poor well-being, fatigue, vomiting. Now everything is clear.

And maybe from the ashes of her dead heart, or maybe from the overwhelming will to protect all that is left of Obi-Wan–because it must have happened _then_ ; she is sure that the monster in front of her could not create something as innocent and pure as a new life–the courage is born in her. The courage she had been gathering since the first hesitation.

“I cannot,” she replies calmly, although she does not know what reaction to expect.

Obi-Wan frowns as his hands move to her hips. He squeezes them lightly. “Why?”

“I can't do that, Obi-Wan.”

“Obi-Wan?” he tilts his head and narrows his eyes, looking at her with the anger visible in his eyes. He frowns as he pierces her with a searching amber gaze. “Did I do something?”

“I would have married Ben,” she replies instead. “I would have accepted Obi's proposal without thinking.” Satine rests her hands on his shoulders. She takes a deep breath and makes up her mind finally. “But you are not Obi or Ben. You are not even Obi-Wan.”

“I do not understand,” he says, squeezing her hips a little tighter. Satine flinches slightly. Obi-Wan releases a bit but continues to hold her as if he is afraid she would escape. “You love me.”

“Oh, my dear.” Satine raises a hand to stroke his cheek, but there is no tenderness in her eyes, only sadness. “I loved Obi the most in the world. I gave my heart to Ben.”

“What you say makes no sense,” he replies, slightly irritated. “Are you feeling well?” however, he is not driven by concern or love, but by anger, which Satine feels with every firmer grip of his fingers on her hips.

“Obi is dead. Ben died almost two months ago.”

“Satine.” Obi-Wan growls and Satine feels fear for the first time. She is afraid of him, she realizes. Obi-Wan seems to understand his mistake, but done can’t be undone. “Satine, you love me.”

“And so you love me back?” 

Obi-Wan suddenly removes his hands and turns away from her. He goes to the dressing table and hits it with all his strength. “My love means nothing. Love means nothing,” he hisses, staring at her like a predator defending its territory. “Love is not powerful. It won't save your life. Strength and the right reaction are what counts.”

“The right reaction is murdering dozens of people?”

“They were not without fault,” he answers her, clenching his hands around the edges of the furniture. “They deserved to die,” he adds and takes a loud breath. “You're changing the subject.”

There is silence. Obi-Wan still doesn't look at her. His entire silhouette trembles with every breath. Satine is silent, but her soft footsteps can be heard in the room as she slowly approaches him. 

“I can't marry someone who's dead, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan turns to her, the lack of understanding clear on his face. He looks at her face, into her blue eyes.

Satine stares hard at his amber irises. There is nothing in her eyes. They are emotionless. Empty. But still, tears are gathering in them.

Now she sees that she has been living with lies for weeks. She sees that she was blinded by her love for Obi-Wan when he no longer existed. 

“Forgive me,” she says, her voice breaking slightly as she looks firmly into yellow eyes of a familiar shape and a not-familiar colour.

Obi-Wan looks at her in surprise, wants to say something, but suddenly Satine raises her hand and then only his sigh is heard.

Obi-Wan looks down.

A dagger protrudes from his chest clad in thin black robes.

There is a sunken fragment of Kyber crystal in the handle of the blade, and Obi-Wan looks at the weapon in shock with a flash of remembrance.

He knows this weapon.

This is the same dagger that Obi-Wan made for Satine so that she could defend herself, with the help of a swordman years before, when he protected her for a year. When that Satine fell in love with that Obi-Wan, and he fell in love with her. 

(These people are gone though.)

This is the dagger that was supposed to protect her, which she would use in case of the greatest need.

Neither of them ever thought that the dagger would ever pierce his heart.

Satine grabs his arms just as the legs buckle under Obi-Wan.

They both drop to the floor.

“Why?” he whispers, looking at her in shock.

“For the love of Ben. For the love of Obi,” she replies, tears streaming down her cheeks. “For the love of our child,” she adds, placing her hand on top of her dress. “I don't want them to remember a father like that. I want him to be remembered as I remember. And I remember Obi-Wan, who died two months ago in the Senate building, losing a fair fight with the Sith Lord himself. I'm proud of that Obi-Wan. And I am grateful to him for everything. For his love, for his kindness, for his _gift_.”

The strength leaves the body of the man sitting so close to her. His skin turns almost white, his lips are almost purple, and his eyes–

–and as his eyes stare at her face one last time, Satine can see a flash of grey in them. A little bit of blue.

“Satine…” Obi-Wan's face fades with each second, accentuating his yellow eyes even more. “My Satine…”

“Yours,” Satine confirms and places her hand on his cheek. A trickle of blood drips from the corner of his mouth. Satine rubs it tenderly and looks into his changing eyes. “Forever yours.”

Obi-Wan smiles slightly. “Satine…”

His voice sounds almost like the one Satine remembers so fondly. Like the one in which he assured her of his love. Like the one in which he told her dozens of stories.

And he told them so beautifully...

“I'm sorry,” Satine tells him once more, stroking his cheeks, lips, hair. “I couldn't watch you suffer anymore.”

“My…” he says softly, “Dearest…” his eyes, now more like the sky just before sunset, are dripping two single tears. “Thank you.”

Satine moves closer to him. She leans towards him, towards his blue lips, his pale face. “See you on the other side, _cyar'ika_.”

Obi-Wan blinks heavily. As Satine connects their lips in a light kiss, she feels his lips twist slightly, but after a while, they fall back. His chest drops sharply. His breath for the last time tickles her face.

Satine moves away from him, puts her hand to his cheek, pushes the hair back from his face, and reaches out with her fingers to close his eyelids.

His eyes, the colour of a blue-yellow sky, disappear below them.

Satine takes a deep breath.

She feels relieved.

When she looks up at the sky, the Brightest Star is no longer there, but a tiny, very bright point glows in its place. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I always love reading your comments and thoughts. So if you have any, please share ♥!
> 
> Mando'a mini dictionary  
> buir - parent  
> cyar'ika - sweetheart


End file.
